Frailty and Error
by dramaqueen88
Summary: Bonnie finds a way to reset the past, to go back to how things were before the accident. There are only two rules: they keep the memories they have from their present and they cannot make the same choices again. Can they correct their mistakes and find peace at last? Or will they find that reliving their past is more difficult than they ever imagined?
1. The Hope

**Frailty and Error**

* * *

**A/N**: _While I love the Salvatore brothers, this story isn't about them or their respective romances with Elena. They will appear (but there will be no clear Delena or Stelena) but this will be about the four original humans/mortals - Elena, Bonnie, Matt and Caroline. This story may seem a little anti-Salvatore in fact, because really it's celebrating the joys of simple humanity. It's AU after 4x15, set in the October of what would have been their Freshman year at college. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please leave reviews if so desired._

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Hope**

She is exactly 19 years, 1 month and 13 days old today, but she'll forever be 18. They die young in the Gilbert clan, her father at 45, her mother at 43 and her brother just a month shy of his 17th birthday. Her aunt, her birth mother, her uncle slash biological father (another part of her life that she doesn't want to think about too closely) - all gone to the other side. She's the only one left. The last remaining legacy of a doomed family.

She lays a flower at each grave. Their plot is more crowded than any other in the cemetery, a veritable metropolis of gravestones. She's the only one there, mid-afternoon on a chilly October day. Everyone else is at work, or school or college. College. She had spent her whole life dreaming of going, of joining the newspaper team and taking obscure Russian literature classes and meeting cute guys at the student hangout but that seems impossible now. A distant dream, a life she'll never experience.

Her phone bleeps and she checks it automatically. Yet more urgent messages from the Salvatores, demanding to know where she is. She left the house this morning without telling anyone, disappearing for a few glorious hours of freedom where she doesn't have to pretend and no one treads on eggshells around her. She hasn't been herself since Jeremy's death. First when she turned off her humanity switch, doing terrible unspeakable things, and now with her dull, numb, constant grief. She lives like nothing has changed but they can all see it, her pain, her sadness, her depression. It lives in her every movement. She scans through the messages, sighing a little. She can't even escape her world for a day without someone checking up on her.

_Where are you? Are you ok? I'm worried about you – Stefan_

_You've been gone for hours. Elena, damnit, just tell me you're ok – Damon _

It's been two years since the Salvatore brothers came into her life, only two short years and yet she can barely remember life before them. In every good, the bad, exciting, passionate, heart-breaking moment they are there. She lives, breathes, moves Salvatore. They consume her and she allows herself to be consumed. She knows that it's gotten out of hand, that her attachment to those beautiful, deadly brothers has been the cause of all this pain, but why fight it anymore? They're her life now, the only family she has left. She can run as far as she can but will never escape them, they'll always be there waiting in the wings. The thought both exhilarates and terrifies her.

In the quiet moments like this, when she is away from them, she thinks about the before. Times when she teased Jeremy and went on dates with Matt (who she never really appreciated back then and she often thinks how stupid she was) and gossiped with Bonnie about something unimportant. Simple times, times she'll never get back. She often wonders what her life would be like if her parents had never driven off the bridge or if she'd never met Stefan and Damon. Would she have found them anyway, like it was meant to be? Or would she have gone on with her life – prom, graduation, college, job, marriage – never knowing that there was a supernatural world? She sometimes wishes she was still blind to it all. How easy life would be.

She feels a strong, comforting arm around her shoulder and she looks up into Matt's steady blue eyes.

"How did you find me?" She looks beyond him to see Bonnie and Caroline and rolls her eyes. "Of course, Stefan and Damon sent you."

"They're just worried about you," Bonnie replies, coming to stand on the other side of her, "we all are. You haven't been yourself since…"

"Since I got my brother killed and burned down my family home," Elena finishes for her.

"Hey, we've been through this. It wasn't your fault." Matt gently squeezes her shoulder and she buries her head in his chest.

"I just wish it could all go away. I wish things were different," she cries, her voice muffled.

Bonnie wraps her arms around Elena's waist and shakes her head slightly at Caroline who has her phone out, ready to text Stefan their location. Caroline nods in understanding, slipping the phone back into her pocket, and comes forward to complete the group hug. They stand there for a while, just them, the gentle breeze and the overwhelming feeling that nothing will ever be the same.

* * *

Bonnie only allows herself to cry at night. She's the strong one of the group, the powerful one, the fixer and can't be allowed to slip. The group creates havoc and she's always there to clean up their messes. So after they deliver Elena back to the Salvatores, like she is a package not a person, she goes home, shuts herself in her bedroom and lets it all out. No one is there to comfort her, to hear her sobs. Her Dad is out like usual and her friends are going through the same things. If Grams were here, she would know what to say. She still misses her so much that it hurts to breathe sometimes. There's anger in her tears too. She hates the Salvatore brothers, for coming into their lives and ruining everything. She hates Elena sometimes too, for dragging them all into this, for caring more about her immortal lovers than her friends, for being so damn selfish.

"Bonnie."

A voice startles her out of her misery and she glances up to see Emily Bennett, bonnet and all, standing in her bedroom. She swings her legs over the bed into a sitting position, wiping her eyes to make sure that she's not seeing things. Emily hasn't appeared to her in over a year.

"Am I dreaming?"

Emily ignores her. "You've lost your way Bonnie Bennett."

"I'm sad," she whispers.

"You've experienced a lot of hardship, more than a girl your age should." There's a note of sympathy in Emily's voice that Bonnie's never heard before. She's usually so stoic.

"What's the point of this?" Bonnie demands, voice harsher than intended.

"You've dabbled in dark magic because of it. It's not what the Spirits want."

"I've tried my best! I know what I did was wrong but I had to help."

Emily cocks her head and considers. "You've grown hard. Your spirit is crushed."

"No, I can do this, I can keep going," Bonnie insists.

"Your strength is your weakness. You have great power, Bonnie, but if you keep going like you are, if you lose any more people that you love, we are afraid you will bring a darkness on the world so strong that many innocents will suffer."

"I'd never let that happen!" Bonnie protests vehemently.

"The witches on the other side have been talking. We have found a way to help."

"How?"

"We can make you go back. To before all this started."

"What?" Bonnie jumps up and strides the three feet over to where Emily is standing. She meets Emily's eyes seriously. "That's impossible, it goes against the balance of nature. You taught me that."

Emily shakes her head. "What's happened in Mystic Falls has tipped the balance to the other side. There has been a death rate unnatural with the rest of the world, especially in terms of supernatural occurrences. Human deaths are one thing, they are expected, but deaths caused by creatures that are not supposed to be walking the earth, that is quite another."

"What do I have to do?" Bonnie eyes her suspiciously, knowing that there is always a catch.

"A spell," Emily replies simply, "and name a time that you want to relive."

"The end of sophomore year. Before Elena's parents died," Bonnie tells her without a trace of hesitation.

Emily shakes her head again. "The Gilberts' death was nature taking its course."

"It was their deaths that started this whole thing," Bonnie argues back, "Elena found Stefan because she was grieving. If they hadn't died, none of this would have happened. If we went back to a time they were still dead, nothing would change. It's only two people to save hundreds. I've given so much. Please, let them live."

A hint of a smile plays at Emily's lips. "You strike a hard bargain. Very well, it is allowed. Whether they live or not, that is up to you and your actions. There are only two rules in going back. First, you will go back with all the knowledge and all the memories you have to this day. You cannot correct the balance in ignorance or innocence. Second – and this is very important – you must not make the same choices and the same mistakes again. Do you agree to these terms?"

"I agree."

A book slams to the floor behind her, and she whips around to see her grimoire lying open on the floor. She glances back but Emily has vanished. She hurries over to examine the page. She practically knows the grimoire inside out and she has never seen this page before, or this spell. She pauses for a moment. Should she really do this? Is there some sort of catch? She thinks back to earlier in the day, to the weariness in Elena's face, the heavy burden that always follows Matt around. She studies her face in her mirror. She has dark shadows under her eyes and lines on her forehead. Lines at only 18. They shouldn't be feeling like this at their age, they should be having the time of their lives. Emily's right. Unnatural vampires upset their natural world and the natural order of things. If there's a chance to change things, to right the wrongs, then she will do it. She'll save her friends, just like she's been trying to for the last two years. Except this time, she may succeed.

She picks up her cell phone and calls Elena who answers on the second ring.

"Bonnie? Is everything ok?"

It pains Bonnie that the first thing that Elena thinks is that something bad has happened.

"Are you alone?"

There's some scuffling in the background and then the sound of running water.

"Now I am," Elena confirms, "what's going on?"

"I need to you to come over to my house right now."

"Ok, I'll grab Stefan and Damon and see you in a few minutes."

"No, not Stefan and Damon, just you," Bonnie interrupts, "make it seem totally casual. Say I need cheering up or something."

"Bonnie, what's wrong?" Elena's voice is mixed with concern and distrust, "why can't the guys know?"

"Because," Bonnie drops her voice down to barely a whisper, just in case a Salvatore is lurking somewhere, "I think I've found a way to reset the last two years."


	2. The Choice

A/N: _Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows! I'm very excited about this story and have a ton of ideas for future chapters so keep reading. Sorry this chapter is heavy on the exposition and dialogue. Sometimes you need a chapter like that, to establish character's feelings and thoughts etc. _

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Choice**

Elena is at Bonnie's within minutes, a torrent of questions tumbling from her lips as soon as Bonnie opens the front door. Bonnie hauls her upstairs without a word and shows her the grimoire, explaining the vision as Elena's brow furrows deeper and deeper.

"But it's impossible, it's wrong" Elena responds flatly, once she's heard it all. She doesn't allow herself to hope anymore, because if there's one thing she's learned it's that nothing is ever what it seems. Especially when it comes to magic.

"That's what I thought. But Emily assured me that it's what the witches and Spirits agreed."

"It's dangerous, Bonnie. I'm calling Stefan, he needs to hear this," Elena fumbles for her phone and Bonnie snatches it away.

"Listen to me!" Unlit candles flicker up suddenly and they both wince at her loss of control. She's so volatile now. She calms down a little at the sight of Elena's wide eyes, secretly a little pleased that even though Elena is a vampire she can still be scared by a mortal. "It's true, I believe Emily. She's always tried to do what's best for me before. She told me the balance tipped – that there were too many people killed by vampires, and too many turned in so small a place. They've agreed to go back to before your parents died - to let them have a chance at living if we can stop the accident."

"The dead can't be brought back to life." There's a tremble in Elena's voice and she doesn't sound as certain as before.

"It's not bringing them back to life, it's preventing their deaths in the first place. All of this happened because…" Bonnie trails off.

"Because poor Elena lost her parents and dragged everyone down into her own drama." Elena folds her arms and stares down at the floor.

"I wasn't going to say that," Bonnie says gently, "but, yeah, kind of. Losing your parents was a huge tragedy and it was only the beginning. If we can stop your parents from driving off Wickery Bridge…"

"…then maybe we can save everyone else," Elena finishes slowly. She raises her head and gazes at Bonnie, eyes brightening, "do you really think we can do it?"

Bonnie nods. "I think we can. And I think we have to."

30 minutes later they sit on Bonnie's bedroom floor, wrapped in blankets and sipping soothing mugs of tea. It almost feels like one of their old sleepovers. They've called Caroline and she listens quietly as they fill her in. Once they've finished they all sit in silence for a while until Caroline breaks it with a question.

"Should we tell anyone else?"

"Damon and Stefan would try to talk me out of it," Elena says regretfully

"Good call, I don't think they'd be big fans of the idea," Caroline agrees, "I wish I could tell Tyler."

"You still haven't heard from him?" Bonnie asks sympathetically.

Caroline shakes her head, tears pricking her eyes slightly. "His cell phone is no longer in service. As far as I know Klaus hasn't killed him so that means he's alive at least."

"What about Matt?" Bonnie asks.

"No," Elena replies straightaway, "he's been through too much. I want him to be able to live life without knowing about any of this."

Caroline sets down her tea and glares at Elena. "You don't get to decide that. That's his decision, and only his decision. God Elena, you have to stop controlling everyone's life. This isn't just about you anymore! It's all of us. We've all lost people we love and would give anything to see again. Why take that choice away from him?"

"I – I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean - you're right," Elena fumbles, eyes filling with tears, "he does deserve that. I'm sorry."

Bonnie places a comforting hand on Elena's arm. "It's ok, this is a big decision. It's a game changer."

"No, it's not a big decision. It's the only decision. We have to do it."

* * *

Matt only has one word when they've told him.

"When?"

Four pairs of eyes turn towards Bonnie who shrugs. "The spell is relatively simple. I just need to collect one more ingredient. I could have it ready by tomorrow evening."

There's a soft gasp from Caroline and Elena bites her lip. "So soon."

"We can't delay. If we do, others might get wind of it. Or they'll be another big tragedy, knowing Mystic Falls. We don't want to miss our chance, we don't know how long Emily will extend this offer."

"This time tomorrow we could be seeing our families," Caroline says quietly. "My Dad will be alive, Tyler won't be running from Klaus. Hell, Klaus won't even be here."

"I can see Vicki again," Matt looks more hopeful than he has in months.

"My parents, Jeremy, Jenna, even John," Elena breaks into an excited smile, "we can go back to when we didn't have to deal with any of these. We can be teenagers again!"

"We've just finished high school and now we're repeating it? Great." Matt jokes, pulling a face.

Bonnie holds up a hand. "There are two conditions."

"Of course there are," Elena mutters.

"We don't forget. We go back knowing what we know now."

Elena takes a deep breath. "That's good, that will help. What's the second one?"

Bonnie pauses. "We can't make the same choices we did before. Which means, no Salvatores."

"What? Why?" Elena protests, "we know what to do now. They could help."

"Elena, they killed Vicki. Opening the tomb hurt Bonnie's Grams. I'm sorry but everything bad that's happened started because of them." Matt refuses to meet Elena's eyes.

"You know how I feel about Damon Salvatore," Caroline can't hide her disgust, "but Stefan is one of my friends. And I agree with Matt. It's too dangerous, it could mess everything up. I'd prefer to have my dad alive, and Jeremy, and Jenna, and Tyler back than to stay friends with Stefan. I know it sounds harsh but it's true. You have to make a choice. Your family or the Salvatores."

"There is no choice. It's my family. I never wanted to be a vampire, I wanted to have a normal life. If getting that means giving up Stefan and Damon…then that's what I'll do." Elena musters up a smile, looking braver than she feels inside.

They agree to meet in the woods at dusk tomorrow night. With all the spells they've cast there before it seems an appropriate setting. They part ways with long hugs, and hope, fear, excitement and dread in their hearts. They have tonight to say their final goodbyes. For tomorrow their lives will begin again.


	3. The Spell

**Chapter 3: The Spell**

They woods are eerily silent when they meet the next evening, with not even a rustle in the trees. Bonnie is the first to come and starts setting up as quickly as possible. She doesn't want to draw it out. Matt comes next, eyes wary and watchful. He's had too much disappointment in his life to fully have faith that this will work. Caroline appears at full vamp speed, making the most of her powers while she still has them. She's wearing the blue ball gown that she wore to the Mikaelson's ball and Bonnie and Matt stare at her in bemusement.

"What?" she snaps defensively, "this is just in case we go back as we are now. This is a very expensive and very beautiful dress and I don't want to lose it. Who knows when I'll get a chance to wear something like this again? It will be back to Forever 21 soon."

The other two smile and Caroline joins in with a reluctant giggle.

"So how have you been spending your last hours of this life? I looked through practically every issue of Cosmo and Seventeen. I swear, I'll be so ahead of the trends back in 2009."

Bonnie raises an eyebrow. "That's what you did?"

"Yeah…among other things," Caroline replies, a little guiltily, and quickly changes the focus off of her. "What about you Matt?"

He shrugs. "I went to work."

"Seriously? Matt, you've had one last day and that's how you chose spend it?" Caroline splutters.

"I don't have anything going for me here," he says quietly, "everything I want – it's back there."

There's a silence as they let Matt's words sink in. This is really going to happen.

He grins ruefully. "I totally should have checked the winning lottery numbers though."

The girls laugh and then simmer down quietly as they wait for Elena to appear. Bonnie checks her watch.

"She should be here by now," she frets, "I hope she hasn't changed her mind."

"Nope, I'm here," Elena materialises beside them, "it took a while to get away from Stefan and Damon. They've been…suspicious."

"They didn't follow you here did they?" Bonnie asks in alarm.

"They got an urgent call from the Sheriff so they went to meet her at the grill." She shoots a pointed look at Caroline.

"OK, fine, I told her!" Caroline admits in a rush, "but I thought she might have ideas about how to help in the past. You know, with the Council and stuff. So they can protect the town better this time round. Plus, she provided a good distraction for the Salvatores."

"Let's hurry," Bonnie takes a packet of herbs out of her bag, "we don't know how long we have until they come looking for Elena."

The stand in a circle around the small fire in the middle of the pentagram Bonnie has drawn. Bonnie throws the herbs on the fire with a Latin phrase, and jumps back to complete the circle as the fire starts to spark. They clasp hands and Caroline, Elena and Matt gaze at each other gravely as Bonnie closes her eyes and begins the incantation.

"Elena!"

They turn their heads to see Stefan and Damon speed through the woods and stop at the edge of the circle. Bonnie stumbles over her words, momentarily distracted.

"Keep going Bonnie," Caroline cries, a note of desperation in her voice.

"How did you know where I was?" Elena asks them.

"How do you think?" Damon scoffs, "we squeezed it out of Sherriff Mom. Literally."

Caroline glares daggers at him.

"What are you doing Elena?" Stefan doesn't phrase it like a question. He knows exactly what she's doing – she can tell from the pain in his eyes.

Hope radiates out of Elena's face. "I have a chance to fix things. I can be with my family again."

"Don't be an idiot Elena!" Damon exclaims, "it's an impossibility. Do you think if the spell worked that someone would have tried it by now?"

"You're going to get yourself killed," Stefan agrees.

"I'm sorry but I have to try. It's my family," Elena whispers.

"Screw it," Damon flings up his arms, "if you're not going to stop it, I'll stop it myself." He launches himself in Elena's direction and is immediately rebuffed and sent sprawling by an invisible force. Bonnie doesn't even open her eyes but a small smile appears on her lips as she chants. Stefan sidles cautiously towards them.

"Don't do this Elena, we can talk about it. Maybe we can find a way to all go back together," he urges.

Bonnie is speaking the spell loudly now, and squeezing Caroline and Elena's hands so tightly that she's nearly restricting the blood flow. Matt studies Bonnie then nods at Elena. It's about to happen. She looks in turn at Stefan and Damon, holding their gazes for a few moments.

"I love you both. I will always love you," she tells them, tears in her eyes.

The world turns white and then there's nothing.


	4. The Beginning

**Chapter 4: The Beginning**

Elena's eyes fly open. She takes in her surroundings - the dark sky and the empty road in front of her. She can hear voices, laughter and a crackling of a bonfire nearby. She feels bright lights behind her and turns to see a familiar silver car driving up to her. Her parent's car. The memories come flooding back in quick succession: meeting Damon, her parents picking her up, the accident off Wickery Bridge. It's the night of the bonfire, she realises. Her parents have come to pick her up. That means…she is in 2009. The spell worked. They've done it, they've actually done it!

The car horn hoots and Elena sets off at a run towards it. She flings open the front passenger door and there's her Mom, her beautiful mother with her long dark hair and those loving brown eyes and her Dad smiling at her from the driver's seat.

"Mom? Dad?" she chokes out.

And with that she crumples to her knees, hands covering her mouth, and bursts into tears. Within moments they've turned off the ignition and are at her side, rubbing her shoulders reassuringly.

"Sweetheart, what in the world?" her mother drops down to her knees besides Elena, and throws her arms around her.

"Honey? Are you ok?" her father asks, concerned.

"It's you, it's really you," Elena gasps between heaving sobs.

Her parents exchange a confused look over the top her head but continue to murmur platitudes to her. It takes ten whole minutes until her tears have subsided enough for her to talk properly and her parents help her up gently.

"Why don't we go home and get you some tea?" Miranda says, opening the rear passenger door.

"I can't, we, we can't drive home," Elena stammers, springing away from them.

"Elena, come on now-"

"We can't go across Wickery Bridge!" she bursts out, "we have to go home another way!"

"Elena, you're being silly, get in the car," Grayson says sternly.

She moves forward, eyes wide and beseeching, and takes his hands in hers.

"Dad, I know you think I'm crazy and I know this doesn't make any sense but we can't go across Wickery Bridge. Something bad is going to happen if we do. Please, please, please trust me on this."

He holds her gaze for a moment and then nods in acquiescence.

"We'll go on the back roads."

"Thank you. Thank you." She wraps her arms around him and hugs him tightly, closing her eyes and inhaling his scent. She hasn't smelled it in two and a half years, and she wants to stay like this forever.

She's tense the whole drive back, perched forward in the back seat, eyes scanning the road anxiously for any signs of trouble. She gasps when they pass another car on the road, fingers clenching the back of her the seat in front of her, knuckles turning white. Her parents can sense her fear but say nothing. The journey only takes fifteen minutes longer than it should do but to Elena it feels like hours. Eventually they pull into the drive and there's her childhood home, the wraparound porch and black shutters as familiar to her as her own body. The last time she saw it, it was engulfed in flames. Looking at it now, she can't believe she did that to her beautiful home, filled to the brim with memories.

Her legs are shaky when she climbs out of the car and she grabs onto her mother's arm for support. Jeremy is just coming through from the kitchen as they open the front door. He looks so young, still in the uncomfortable stage between boyhood and adulthood, rather than the man she last saw.

"Jeremy!"

She lurches away from her mother and falls into Jeremy's arms. He's taken-aback, awkwardly patting her back and she begins to cry again.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," she repeats over and over.

"Are you high?" he asks, taking a step back and surveying her at arms lengths.

"That's your domain," Jenna whispers in his ear and clasps Elena's arm warmly. "Are you ok?"

Elea looks from Jenna to Jeremy to her parents and promptly vomits onto the shiny wooden floor.

* * *

Caroline, Bonnie and Matt find each other within seconds of opening their eyes. Bonnie is seated on a log beside Matt, and Caroline is standing by the keg, some random guy talking at her. She can't even remember his name. Her eyes meet Bonnie's and she rushes over to her friends without another word to the guy. She clutches their arms, eyes wide.

"Are we?" she whispers.

Bonnie nods and Matt lets out a long breath. There's a pause and then Matt and Bonnie jump up and all three start bouncing and whooping with glee. It takes them a few moments to settle and they realise they are drawing attention to themselves. They move to the side of the gathering, away from prying eyes where they can talk without being heard.

"I can't believe it. We really did it!" Matt beams.

They all begin to giggle maniacally again when Bonnie sobers abruptly.

"Where's Elena?"

"She'll be here somewhere, it's the night of the party at the Falls, she was definitely there," Caroline says, grin fading, "right?"

"The night of the party…oh my God, the accident." Bonnie gasps.

They scatter, Caroline towards the road, Bonnie through the gathering and Matt to try to find his parked truck. Caroline curses under her breath as she sprints, she's used to speeding ahead without a second thought, and by the time she reaches the road she's panting. She cranes her head, automatically trying to use her advanced hearing to see if she can listen for any voices. She sighs, running a hand through her hair. It's been less than two years and she's already forgotten how to be human. She flips open her phone – such an old model she can't even believe it – and dials Elena's number. It rings and rings until Elena's cheerful voicemail greets her.

"Damnit!"

"Somebody said they saw her come up here," Bonnie calls as she jogs up to Caroline, slightly out of breath, "but I don't know if that's before or after we came back. I don't know where we are in time. I just hope we're not too late."

There's a loud honk and Matt pulls up beside them in his beat up truck. They hop in and he pulls away before they've even closed the door.

"Matt!" Caroline snaps, "be careful."

"It's the night of the accident and we can't find Elena, Care," Matt snaps back, "we've got to get to Wickery Bridge right now."

At the speed Matt is driving it takes only a few minutes to reach the bridge and he screeches to a stop at the edge of the road. They tumble out of the car and race to the side, leaning over as far as they can. The water is still with no sign of turbulence and the bridge is still intact. They cross to the other side but it's the same.

Bonnie bites her lip. "Either it hasn't happened yet or Elena managed to prevent it."

They lean against the bridge railings for a while, staring at the road but there are no cars in sight. The longer they wait, the more anxious they grow until Matt finally checks his phone.

"It's nearly 10. I can't stand it any longer, I'm going to call the Gilbert's." He dials and tugs on the bottom of his jacket nervously as he waits for it

"Jeremy? Is that really you?"

Bonnie and Caroline clutch at each other, hopeful expressions growing on their faces.

"Yeah, it's Matt. Um, is your sister back yet? She is? And your parents? No, no, don't wake her, just wanted to make sure she got home ok. It's so good to hear your voice man. Bye."

"They're safe," Caroline breathes.

"Jeremy was a little weirded out by our conversation but yeah, they got home about ten minutes ago. They're ok." Matt smiles slightly.

"Oh my god!" Caroline flings herself into Matt's arms and then into Bonnie's, "for once in our crazy, messed up lives, it's all going to plan."

"Yeah," Bonnie takes a deep breath, "come on you guys, let's go home. Let's go see our families."


	5. The Restart

**Chapter 5: The Restart**

Elena doesn't get out of bed for four days. She dreams feverishly of vampires and death and car crashes, rousing just enough in between them to feel a cool hand on her forehead. She wakes up on Tuesday morning to the sun streaming through her curtains and the gentle chirping of birds. She sits up slowly and squints at her bedroom. It's clean and tidy, her school books piled neatly on her window seat. It's so…normal. She takes a long drink of the water on her bedside table and slides her legs out of the covers, testing her strength. She feels a little wobbly but generally fine. She pulls on her robe and makes her way down to the kitchen where she finds her mother sitting at the counter, writing a list.

Her mom glances up as she hears her come in. "Honey, you're awake!"

"How long have I been in bed?" Elena opens the fridge and locates the orange juice.

"Four days. We've been so worried about you. You must have caught something bad from school."

"I had such weird dreams. I dreamt that you and dad – never mind," Elena rubs her neck, "they were only dreams. Where's Jer?"

Miranda looks amused. "School. It's Tuesday. Relax, I already called the school and told them you were going to be out for the rest of the week. Luckily it's the last week before summer break so you're not missing much. And you get to start vacation early so I'm going to need some thanks."

"Did I mention you were the best mom in the whole world?"

"It's always nice to hear," Miranda winks, "how about I make you some pancakes and you hop on the couch and watch a movie?"

Elena browses through the collection of dvds on the shelf while Miranda clatters about the kitchen.

"Liz Forbes rang and said that Caroline's been sick too," Miranda says conversationally and raises an eyebrow, "if Caroline Forbes is sick then there must really be something severe going around."

"Well at least she won't be on at me for missing cheerleading practice," Elena selects Little Women and slumps onto the couch, wrapping herself in a patchwork blanket, "have you heard from Bonnie or Matt?"

"Not Bonnie. Jeremy said Matt rang the night of the party. Said he sounded a bit, well, concerned. Are you guys alright? You said you had a fight?"

Elena furiously racks her brain. Her memories of the night of the party are all fuzzy and jumbled. "He was talking about the future and I freaked. And then we…I don't know. I think we broke up, I'm not sure."

"Oh honey, I'm sure everything will sort itself out. Concentrate on getting better and then you can deal with the rest of it. Put life on hold for a few days."

Frowning slightly, Elena turns on the movie and settles back. Putting life on hold…she doesn't know why but that seems such a foreign concept. She's only 16 and it's not like she has had a hard life. Still, there's something missing, something she hasn't quite grasped or remembered. Her mind is whirring from her dreams, so vivid they seem more like reality. Dreams, she tells herself, they were only dreams. All those flickers of memories that are plaguing her, they're not real. She pinches the bridge of her nose, pulling herself out of her reverie. She must have been really out of it these past few days.

She turns her concentration back to Little Women, her ultimate sick day movie. She watches this every time she's sick and it always makes her feel better. There's something so comforting about the March family banding together in times of hardship. And Laurie and Jo, who of course should have been together in the end. Jo didn't appreciate what she had. Miranda brings the plate of pancakes over and sits beside her daughter. As Elena chews on the delicious blueberry pancakes and watches the familiar movie, a wave of calm washes over her and she starts to relax, pushing the bad dreams from her mind. Meg is at Sally Moffat's ball when an image suddenly flashes through Elena's head – two beautiful brothers and Elena wearing a Civil War era dress, but she's not herself, she's someone else entirely…

She jerks back, dropping her fork on the floor with a clatter.

"Elena, what is it?" Miranda asks immediately.

"Nothing, I just – I don't feel like watching this movie anymore. Let's change it." She places her plate on the floor and ejects the disk.

Miranda watches her in puzzlement. "Ok, whatever you want. I thought it was your favourite, though."

"I just, wasn't in the mood," Elena explains, still a little flustered.

She puts Bring it On in the player instead, she's sure that something that modern won't bring up any weird thoughts, and sits back on the sofa again, wrapping her arms around her protectively. Miranda gives her a side eye but lets silence reign. They make it through the whole movie but all Elena can think of is the haunting image of those brothers.

* * *

Caroline feels wobbly and weak the day after the party – a side effect of changing back to human, she deduces. Her mother checks on her before going to work and she claims illness, because how on earth is she going to explain it otherwise? Her mother seems a little surprised at how receptive she is and she remembers how distant their relationship used to be. They've come a long way and she has a chance to mend it even earlier now. She hears her mother talking on the phone later that evening about how she and Elena must have the same thing and wisely texts Bonnie and Matt to feign sickness for the next week. It's the last few days of school anyway and there's no way she's going back to being a sophomore.

It's difficult learning to be human again. She has to remind herself to eat and stop trying to physically exert herself too much so she ends up exhausted. Luckily her mom is out of the house for most of the day so she doesn't see Caroline struggle to do everyday tasks at normal speed or get frustrated from how slow she is. She was good at being a vampire – controlled, fearless, fast – but she wasn't so good at being a human. The thought crosses her mind that she might regress again, become that vapid, insecure mess that she once was. She's determined to not let that happen. She's learnt from her mistakes and she has a chance to start things over and become a better person, vampire or not.

She calls her Dad and nearly weeps when she hears his voice. He's warm and kind like he used to be, before he thought her a monster and tried to torture the vampire out of her. She asks him if they can go travelling together someday, to Paris and Rome and London. She's so desperate to see life outside this small town. He agrees that they will travel Europe together as a graduation present and they make plans to meet in a few weeks. If he's surprised by her desperation to go to art galleries and her enthusiasm for hanging out with his partner Steven and his daughter Claire, he doesn't say it. He just says that they will all go out to a show in Atlanta if that's what will make her happy. She smiles as she hangs up. She's had to be so strong for so long and she's missed being Daddy's Little Girl, and of being taken care of for once.

* * *

Bonnie arrives on Gram's doorstep the day after the party and falls into her arms as soon as the door opens.

"Grams!"

She begins to cry, softly at first and then louder and louder until she's sobbing hysterically.

"What in the world…?" Grams leads her inside and sits her on the sofa, waiting until Bonnie has calmed down enough to talk. "Now what's going on with you, Bonnie? I don't think I've ever seen you cry."

Bonnie glances up at Grams tearfully. "I'm never allowed to cry."

"Did something happen at school? Has that Caroline girl been bossing you about too much? Say the word and I'll sort her out good and proper."

Bonnie smiles through her tears. "It's not Caroline. I can't really explain it. I just feel…drained. Physically, mentally, emotionally. And I've missed you so much."

"I'm right here where I've always been, baby." Grams tucks a stray lock of hair behind Bonnie's ears.

"You weren't, but I guess you are now. I have a chance to do right by you Grams. And I'm so sorry for what I did before."

Grams stands up, hands on hips. "I have no idea what you are talking about Bonnie Bennett but you have nothing to be sorry about. Now, I'm going to make you some tea and I think I have some cookies tucked away somewhere."

Bonnie gives her another watery smile. "Thanks Grams. And could I…could I stay here for a few days? I just need to get away for a bit."

Grams cocks an eyebrow. "And what about school, hmm?"

"It's the last week, I've handed in all my assignments and the teachers don't give us any more work before summer. All I'm missing is extra gyms lessons and cleaning out my locker," Bonnie bluffs.

"Alright then. Phone your Dad to make sure it's ok."

"It's ok," Bonnie replies quickly.

Grams twinkles at Bonnie. "You most certainly are a Bennett. Chamomile or peppermint?"

"Chamomile. And Grams? I love you."

"I love you too, baby."


	6. The Truth

**Chapter 6: The Truth**

* * *

The rest of the week is uneventful and stress-free yet Elena still can't shake the feeling that something isn't quite right. She still dreams those vivid dreams– more nightmares than dreams – of vampires and other deadly creatures. She doesn't know why, vampires don't exist of course and it's all just a remnant from her fever, but they feel more real than dreams have a right to feel. She spends her days watching movies, reading books, talking to her family and crying. She has no idea why she sobs, she'll be feeling perfectly contended then she'll read something, or watch something and it will just set her off. She knows she has nothing to cry about – she has a great family, great friends, she's a cheerleader; she's never known any sort of sorrow or hardship. Yet there's a heavy weight on her heart, a dull ache that won't go away.

Miranda and Grayson watch her with worried eyes. She hears them whispering about her when they think she can't hear them. Miranda thinks it may be about Matt, but Elena knows it isn't. She can't remember exactly what happened but she's pretty sure they're broken up but there's a peace about her when she thinks of him. Grayson thinks that she took too much on at school and the stress has finally gotten to her. The same thing happened when he was on summer break from medical school, he says. No, it's not that either. Sophomore year and medical school are two pretty different levels of stress and school has never been that taxing for her.

Elena's sitting at the breakfast bar eating cookies and drinking milk like she's a little girl when the doorbell rings. She carries on munching, waiting for someone else to answer the door. She doesn't really want to see anyone looking like this – with greasy hair, old sweatpants and a faded blue tank top. The doorbell rings again and Elena rolls her eyes and slumps off to the door, cookie still in hand. She opens it to find Bonnie standing there, her face lighting up when she sees Elena looking more alive than she's seen her in 3 years.

"Elena, how are you doing?" Bonnie sweeps her into a tight hug.

"Hey Bonnie, I'm ok," Elena replies, taken aback by the intensity of the hug.

"What happened? Caroline said that you were sick. Was it side effects from coming back? Caroline says she's been having some. I guess the," she drops her voice slightly, "vamp to human transition is kind of difficult." She walks further into the hall, dropping her bag by the wall and turns to face Elena. Her face is shining. "I can't tell you how good I feel."

"I'm happy for you Bonnie," Elena says in confusion as she shuts the front door behind Bonnie, "but going back to what you just said. I could have sworn you said something about…vamps?"

"Yeah, and I know you may not want to hear it but it is so good to see you as a human again. Caroline too. It finally feels like we've been given the life we were supposed to have. We can all grow up, go to college, get married, have kids, get wrinkly together. No one will get left behind."

"Bonnie, what are you talking about?" Elena asks bluntly

Bonnie wrinkles her forehead. "You mean you don't remember?"

"Don't remember what, Bonnie?" Elena demands, taking a step towards her friend.

"What happened before. And the spell. It took us back to the past. You don't remember? Damon and Stefan, Klaus, any of it?"

Elena takes a deep breath. "I've been having dreams. Every single night I dream about these two brothers I'm in love with, but they're vampires. I dream that my parents die. Jenna, Uncle John, Jeremy – all of them die until I'm the only one left. And then I die, but I'm alive again. I'm a – a- vampire. But I thought it was the fever. I woke up and everything was normal."

Bonnie takes Elena's hand in hers. "Elena," she says gently, "those dreams you've been having. They're not just dreams. They really happened."

* * *

"Matty, you know I love you but you've been way clingy lately. It's totally killing my buzz," Vicki drawls as she walks through her front door.

"Vicki, you're not high are you?" Matt hisses, instantly rising from his comfortable position on the couch.

"Chill out, I'm joking. Anyway, what is this I heard about you applying for a position at the Grill? You don't have to keep an eye on me, you know. This protective younger brother thing is getting old fast."

"We need the money, Vicks," Matt points out patiently, "and the Grill is pretty much the only place that I'm qualified for."

"Whatever," Vicki huffs, leaning back against the wall, "you've been acting so weird since you got back from that party. Which was totally lame-ass by the way."

"I just missed you." Matt looks across the room affectionately at his sister, still hardly believing she's there before his eyes.

"You keep saying that," Vicki whines, "God, if this is what breaking up with Elena does to you, I hope you guys get back together soon."

Matt is about to say that it's not that, that they haven't been a couple in three years but stops himself just in time. He had to tell Vicki something as to why he had been acting strange the past week so he told her that he and Elena broke up. He figures it's close enough to the truth, seeing as how they broke up only a few days after the party originally. It's weird thinking of him and Elena as a couple now, it's been so long and such a lot has happened. He remembers it well, though. Days were easy then, no heartbreak, no supernaturals constantly trying to kill them, no Salvatores stealing Elena's heart. Just a quarterback and a cheerleader – two best friends – snuggling in front of a movie and stealing kisses between classes. He used to think about them getting back together sometimes, while she was still a mortal and he still had hope that she'd see how bad the Salvatore brothers were for her. But then she turned and he knew that any possible future between them had been struck out. She'd stay young while he would get older, get married to someone who wasn't her, have kids and eventually die. He'd never have the life he dreamed about with her.

Now Elena's human again, he lets his mind wander to that forbidden place. That maybe there's a slight chance for them now, that maybe she'll realise what she's been missing all this time has been right before her eyes. He quickly dismisses it. Elena goes for dark, handsome, dangerous guys, not the boy-next-door, she's proved it time and again over the past years. Countless people have died because of it. No, they had their chance and now they will continue on as good friends. Elena's finally got her life back, that's all that matters. But she can't go near the Salvatores, a traitorous voice whispers inside, she wants a normal life. Maybe…

He stands up and abruptly strides over to the fridge to clear his head. Vicki stares at him like he's grown two heads.

"Matty, you just totally spaced. Have you been taking stuff from my stash?"

"No, and Vicks, the drugs? They've got to go." Matt turns to his sister sternly.

She rolls her eyes. "Oh come on, Matt. Stop being the fun police. Relax, I'm fine."

"That's the thing, you're not. And if you're not careful something will happen to you. And I'm not going to let that happen again."

"What do you mean again? Nothing's happened to me. I've got it under control."

"No more drugs," he repeats firmly, ignoring the fact that she picked up on the word 'again'. He has to be more careful in future.

"You're not the boss of me," she replies sulkily. She pushes off from the wall and storms down the hall into her bedroom. "In case you didn't realise, I'm the older sister!" she calls back angrily.

Matt wrenches open the fridge and lets his arm rest heavily on the door for a moment. "Good to be back," he mutters.

* * *

Caroline's bored. A week at home pretending to be sick combined with her workaholic nature is not a happy marriage. Luckily her mother isn't at home much to keep an eye on her but she doesn't dare go out of the house much in case someone sees her. She's snuck out a few times, once to the bookstore to stock up on some new reading material (she's going more Dickens and less Twilight now) and a couple of times to the mall. Hey, a girl's got to live, right? On Friday she finds herself out of ideas. She's read, watched tv, cleaned the house, written numerous lists, got ahead on next year's school work like a nerd and researched colleges (sadly 2 years away again). She's lying on her bed, trying to get through Oliver Twist when she finally has enough and sits up, slamming the book shut.

"Ugh," she groans out loud.

Her brain feels slower since she's become human. When she was a vampire everything was sharp, fast and clear. She could understand and pick up on things so quickly and easily and now it's like she's wading through treacle. She absently wonders what she'd be doing if she was still a vamp, she'd probably be at the boarding house, planning and scheming and finding a way to save them all from another threat. An idea pops into her head and in less than five minutes she's donned a hoodie and is heading towards the boarding house, hood up and sunglasses on.

When Caroline gets there she lingers outside for a while, studying it. She's so used to just going in there, no invitation necessary but she's a stranger to them now. The thought upsets her more than she wants to admit. She doesn't even know if they are even here in Mystic Falls. She knows Elena met Stefan on the first day of school but she's pretty sure he came to town before that. Taking a deep breath she strides up to the door and rings the bell. She waits a few beats and then the door opens and a man in his mid-thirties pokes his head out.

"Yes?"

"Hi!" Caroline smiles brightly, "you're…" she racks her brains furiously to recall him,"…Zach Salvatore, aren't you? You're on the town council with my Mom."

"You're Liz Forbes daughter," he comments, frowning slightly, "shouldn't you be at school?"

"Shouldn't you be at work?" she counters.

"Day off."

"Well, for me too, kinda. It's the last day of school before summer vacation so they let us out early," she babbles.

He pauses. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Right, well, uh, we're having a fund raiser next week and my Mom told me that she left some stuff here from the last fundraiser and never got it back."

"I don't remember that." His frown deepens.

"You know my Mom, total flake. Anyway, she told me to come by and get it to save her doing it. I think she said it's in the living room. Do you mind if I come in and take a look? It will only take five minutes, I swear."

He reluctantly opens the door and she walks past him hurriedly. She glances up to them top of the stairs and can make out a dark figure moving out of sight. She continues on to the living room and makes a pretense of looking around for the made-up object.

"Nope, not in here. Do you think I could get a drink of water? I'm parched. I'll just continue looking around a bit more. I'm sure it's here somewhere."

As soon as Zach disappears she runs over to the basement door and descends as softly as possible, cursing her human speed and loudness. She goes to the cell door but it's empty. A strange scent lingers in the air and she inhales deeply, following the trail. She knows that smell. Just down from the cell is an entire room filled with vervain plants. Vervain, of course, they're going to need some, and fast. She opens the door and snatches a bit, stuffing it into her pocket.

"Can I help you with anything?" A voice from behind her suddenly asks and she whirls to find herself facing a familiar, good-looking face.

It's Stefan.


	7. The Fresh Start

**A/N:** _Sorry that this chapter is a bit of a filler with not much action, I had writer's block with this chapter and needed to put in some filler in order to get the story moving along. I promise the next few will be a bit more exciting! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and favourited - please keep reviewing! It gives me motivation!_

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Fresh Start**

"Stefan!" Caroline blurts out before she can stop herself.

His expression slides from curious to guarded instantaneously "You know my name?"

"Yeah, uh, Zach told me he had a nephew from out of town staying with him," she replies hastily.

"What are you doing down here?" He folds his arms and shifts into that Stefan stance.

It then occurs to Caroline that although she may not have her vampire strength, she still has somewhat of an advantage. She knows Stefan almost better than anyone and knows how will react to a situation. She has to tread carefully.

"My Mom's on the town council with your uncle and she left some stuff in the house. I thought I'd look down here, because, you know, it's always in in the last place you look. But I can't find it anywhere."

"I imagine you can't, what with not being able to see and all." He gestures to her eyes and she realises that she is still wearing her sunglasses.

She tears them off. "Oops! Well, I guess that's why! It's obviously not down here. I'll just go up-"

She makes to move around him and he steps in her way and meets her eyes levelly. Caroline surreptitiously slips her hands in her hoodie pocket and clenches the vervain in her fists.

"Have we met before?" he asks hesitantly.

She blinks. He's not trying to compel her, which means he's genuinely puzzled about it. This isn't good, this isn't good at all.

"Nope, don't think so," she says quickly.

He doesn't move, continuing to stare at her, perplexed. Caroline desperately racks her brains to think of her next move and then a genius idea pops into her head and she puts on her most flirtatious smile.

"Have you explored Mystic Falls at all? Let me know if you need anyone to show you around town or anything. I'm always free."

"I know this town well, but thanks," he gives her a polite, stiff smile and she rolls her eyes inwardly. She's forgotten how cold he can be when uncomfortable.

She twirls a finger through a blonde curl and decides to push it further. "Do you know how long you're staying? I know a ton of great parties that are happening. You could come…with me."

"I, uh, no, maybe. I'm not sure of my plans yet," he hedges.

Caroline feels a pang of rejection but shakes it off quickly. This is Stefan, her bff (well, not anymore, she supposes), she doesn't care about him that way. She's held the affections of the most powerful creature on the planet, she doesn't need her ego stroked by Stefan Salvatore of all people.

"Well, I should be getting home. It was nice meeting you." She gives him a megawatt smile, just to be sure he's suitably scared off, and ducks around him, hurrying up the basement steps.

Zach is in the hallway and he gives her a suspicious look as soon as he sees her.

"Where were you?"

"Still looking for the stuff but I can't find it anywhere. Guess it's not here! Oh well, thanks anyway!"

She's out of the front door before Zach can utter a word. She waits until she's a good 200 feet away from the house when she whips out her cell phone.

"Bonnie? Where are you? Good, I'm coming over. I think we've got a problem."

* * *

"You saw Stefan?"

Elena and Bonnie's eye bore into Caroline as she polishes off a cookie.

"Mmhmm," she mumbles, "his hair was so bad. 2009 was so not a good era for him."

"What was he like?" Elena asks, voice trembling a little.

"Stefany. You know, back when he was pretending to be human. God, that feels like ages ago. Kind of stick in the mud."

"What's he even doing in Mystic Falls now?" Bonnie ponders, "he shouldn't be here until August."

"Actually, he should. He saved me from drowning, remember? Well, I remember now." Elena twists her hands in her lap.

Caroline frowns. "What are you talking about?"

"Elena had a high fever after coming back. She thought everything was just a dream," Bonnie explains.

Caroline's eye widen. "Seriously? Everything? Do you remember yet?"

"Now I do," Elena replies with a sigh, "when Bonnie told me they weren't dreams it all just came flooding back to me."

Caroline puts a comforting hand on Elena's and she smiles back gratefully.

Bonnie, not wanting to break up the moment but also wanting answers, interrupts them gently. "What was the problem, Caroline?"

"Well," she takes another cookie, "I think Stefan may have somehow, sort of, remembered me."

Elena and Bonnie exchange a look.

"What do you mean, remembered you? What did he say?" Elena demands, voice rising an octave.

"He asked me if we'd met before. And then he kind of, stared at me, like he was desperately trying to think of where he'd seen me before. You don't think there's anything wrong with the spell do you?" She directs the last part at Bonnie.

Bonnie shakes her head grimly. "There shouldn't be. But I'm going to try summoning Emily tonight anyway for some answers."

"I was thinking on the way here, if Stefan's around then there's a very good chance he's already seen Elena. Or if he hasn't yet, then he will."

"Damon. Damon's already seen me."

Bonnie and Caroline's heads whip simultaneously to the guilty-looking Elena.

"What?"

"I never told you guys this but I met Damon before Stefan, on the night of the party. He compelled me to forget but it came back to me when I was a vampire. The spell brought me back to just after Damon had compelled me and left. He knows I exist."

"Of course," Bonnie mutters.

Caroline looks disgusted. "Well if Damon Salvatore knows you're here and Stefan might soon, we need to put the plan into action immediately."

"What plan?" Elena asks warily.

"We're taking you to the salon. Pronto."

* * *

Three hours later Elena is staring at a different person in the mirror. Her long dark locks are gone, replaced with a sleek bob of rich mahogany. Bonnie and Caroline appear behind her and all three gaze into the mirror, marvelling.

"I look so…not me," Elena whispers.

Caroline grins. "Precisely. You can't look anything like Katherine. This may keep the Salvatore's off the scent for a while."

"We've been given a second chance and we need to do anything we can to protect that," Bonnie chimes in.

Elena nods. "I know, I know. It's just, so much change, so soon."

Bonnie wraps her arms around Elena's shoulders. "Good change. You have your family back, your humanity. Plus, you look really sexy with that new haircut."

Elena's face breaks into a reluctant grin. "I do look sexy, don't I?"

"Hell yeah, you do!" Caroline declares, "And we're going to take advantage of it. Tomorrow night we're going out to celebrate. We've done enough moping around for one lifetime. This is our chance to be young and carefree again."

Elena stares at the mirror as she listens to them, watching her eyes starting to spark with life again. Caroline's right, they don't need to worry anymore. There's no one trying to kill them, no sorrow or sense of responsibility holding her back. It's just her and her best friends and their future stretched out ahead of them with nothing to hold them back.

She spins around in the chair to face them. "Let's start living."


End file.
